Thursday 5 January 2023

No 13755, Thursday 05 Jan 2023, Arden


Solution to 22D has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only by a non-regular / novice commenter, with proper annotation. Those who have answered earlier in the week, please give others a chance.

ACROSS
1   Break off briefly, before beginning very early in the day (5,2,4) CRACK OF DAWN {CRACK}{OFf}{DAWN}
7   Holder close to mark on rifle (3) SAC SACk
9   Assembly was somewhat mercurial (5) CURIA [T]
10 The central parts more crisp from both - used in fragrances (5,4) ORRIS ROOT {mORe}{cRISp}{fROm}{bOTh}
11 Listen to the first lady's descent, listen in (9) EAVESDROP {(~eve's)EAVES}{DROP}
12 One getting extremely upset, it's serious (5) ACUTE {AC{UpseT}E}
13 It may be crude to check dead for some pulse (7) OILSEED {OIL}{SEE}{D}
15 Yankee will return - American way to keep fit (4) YOGA {Y}{GO<=}{A}
18 Old artist's back almost (4) AGED DEGAs<=
20 Hector Thoreau will listen patiently (4,3) HEAR OUT*
23 Lament for example, free to go west (5) DIRGE {EG}{RID}<=
24 Fish gone bad inside basket (6,3) CONGER EEL {C{GONE*}REEL}
26 Skin inflammation - doesn't take a second to get irritable and heedless (5,4) NAPPY RASH {sNAPPY}{RASH}
27 Insert one in opening and reverse - works! (5) TOILS {SL{1}OT<=}
28 Unpleasant fellow, very difficult to begin with (3) SOD {SO}{Di...t}
29 Does he bother a woman with Sherlock Holmes' hat? (11) DEERSTALKER [C&DD] (Addendum - {DEER}{STALKER} - See comments)

DOWN
1   Planter's cheap trick lying in bed (8) CACHEPOT {C{CHEAP*}OT}
2   Those who come are fair, even with opponents (8) ARRIVALS {fAiR}{RIVALS}
3   Bard's stakeout? (5) KEATS*
4   Sappers stopping the deluge, getting knocked over (7) FLOORED {FLOO{RE}D}
5   Waste a prize (7) ATROPHY {A}{TROPHY}
6   Longing about analogist (9) NOSTALGIA*
7   Top military commander will reject, has to return (6) SHOGUN {SH{GO<=}UN}
8   Share allowed to be eaten (6) CUTLET {CUT}{LET}
14 Midday mirth seen all around - very observant (5-4) EAGLE-EYED {E{dAy}{GLEE}YED}
16 Longing for Spooner's unknown peasant (8) HOMESICK (~some hick to homesick)
17 Employer broke rule, is it? (8) UTILISER*
19 A month left, time's up to proclaim (7) DECLARE {DEC}{L}{ERA<=}
20 Guesses meals after top level changes (7) HUNCHES (-l+h)HUNCHES
21 Handsome lad completely exposed - lady won't miss (6) ADONIS {lADy}{wONt}{mISs}
22 Covered with doubled protection for crime (6) ?R?P?D (Addendum - DRAPED {D}{RAPE}{D} - See comments)
25 Another entry in the next race (5) EXTRA [T]

Reference List
Dead = D, Yankee = Y, American = A, Second = S, Sappers = RE(Royal Engineers), Left = L

22 comments:

  1. 29a does:deer. He bother('s!!) a woman:stalker.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Plural of deer is deer. So does as plural is still deer.
      How does a talker bother!

      Delete
    2. Deer/ Stalker and not Deers/ Talker

      Delete
    3. Surface reading suffers- he bother.
      Deer= Doe. He bothers= Stalker.
      He probably intends to shift the S ( Doe/s) to make it Stalker.

      Delete
    4. Doe/s he bother a woman=> Doe/ he bothers a woman=>Deer/ Stalker

      Delete
  2. 22D. Yep. Surprisingly rather easy. However, exhausted my quota

    ReplyDelete
  3. CURIA: ( had to struggle to google, was beating around the American president and ultimately landed)
    : a division of the ancient Roman people comprising several gentes of a tribe
    b
    : the place of assembly of one of these divisions
    2
    a
    : the court of a medieval

    ReplyDelete
  4. Of course, as a response to the answer

    ReplyDelete
  5. 15A and 7D, how do you get go? Can someone please explain? Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  6. 22d Draped crime -rape is covered by two D's
    '

    ReplyDelete
  7. 11A. Listen is a HP?. Becoz e(a)vesdrop= listen in . Appreciate a gyan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Where's the a coming from and how is it getting inside eves?
      The fodder is
      first lady's:eve's
      Descent:drop
      Listen to:hear/pick up is a hp indicator. Ideally it should be heard.

      Delete
  8. Listen is a subsequent stage in the comm process, as the Pundits say. First, you hear..It is becoming a challenge for me to make my students hear, let alone listen-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks Gowri for another beautiful rangoli

    ReplyDelete
  10. +1. We are enjoying it as long as it lasts.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Just an observation.
    'Longing' as Definition twice in 6d and 16d

    ReplyDelete
  12. Nice grid. My Cod - HOMESICK, ATROPHY

    ReplyDelete
  13. Nervy rash instead of nappy rash lead to my downfall :-(

    ReplyDelete

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